Increspature

Increspature

:Ripple Effect:

Simple choices create wide circles of change

To watch the show CLICK HERE & HERE

 

Jan 14th, and 15th 2016 at N.E.W

New Expressive Works/Studio 2-Zoomtopia

810 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97214

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I had three students write out a poem about struggle. They memorized it, and recited it in the show. This was a first for all three of them! They accomplished this all on their own. 

Pressure by Emma Stanton

Eyes from across the hall stare me down

Pressure SO uncomfortable 
My ears turn red 
Face white 
Friends….silent
Heartbeat louder than the words unspoken 
My fingertips tap on the desk 
The minutes passing by 
The clock circles and circles and circles and circles
Tick, tock, Tick..Tock….Tick……..Tock 
It’s over I rush out 
My feelings rush out
I walk in again 
A fresh start 
I sit myself in the back 
Feeling a lot better 
PAY ATTENTION
until i’m not
My name
I was called on! 
Teeth clench 
Hands sweat 
I feel the need to be perfect
I can’t 
NOT SUCCEED 
I care what others think
I need others approval 
I feel the need to do my best 
Anxiety 
It consumes me
School 
The pressure 

 

Struggle by Sammy Bruce

Were taught to fit a mold

A schedule

Typecast

Upon first glance is she

Pretty?

Smart

Funny

Thin

Popular

Talented

Perfect?

Judgements come to mind

Whether you’re a good person or not

Who am I?

Am I a label or a list

Is my future aligned by fate or choice

By the face behind a clipboard?

We tell them we don’t care

Words. Don’t. Hurt.

Thats a lie

Because the worst judgement is the one in the mirror

The criticisms in, my, head

Reflected… on a piece of glass

Our. Worst. Enemy.

But what if no reflection existed?

Ourselves mirrored only in others words

They wouldn’t hurt as much

Because we can’t confirm it

No way of seeing the flaws

For each of us is vulnerable

We can block them out

But we Can’t. Ignore. Ourselves.

 

Crunch by Chloe Scott

Crunch. The stress kicks in.

Smack. Anxiety is taking over.

Slurp. My mind starts to race.

Chomp. My hands clench into fists.

My mind is whirring, anger sets in.

The sounds take over, I can no longer focus.

I’m anxious, I’m angry, I can’t think.

The sounds consume me.

I’m not functioning right, why am I this angry?

I don’t know why this is happening.

When will this be over, I can’t do this.

These sounds need to stop.

My misophonia is starting to take over my life.

When someone eats, I stress.

Sounds shouldn’t give someone this much anxiety.

Why does my brain do this.

I wish there was some way to control my reaction,

Misophonia ruins everything.

One simple sound can make my mind start to whirl.

Then the anger ruins everything.

If I see a twitch in someone’s jaw,

I start feeling anxious.

I panic, I wonder where I can escape.

I can’t ever get away from the stress.

Nerves, shaking, all kinds of anger

Stress and anxiety are surrounding me.

It’s like my mind is constantly fighting a war.

There’s a constant nagging in the back of my mind,

Reminding me I can’t escape.

Sometimes I wonder why I am like this,

I wonder why I can’t be normal.

Social situations ruined, family dinners going wrong,

My disorder affects everything.

I try to not react, I try to be normal

But the anxiety creeps into the back of my mind in no time.

I try not to be rude, I try to keep the anger in check

But somehow it always comes back.

I want to get better.

I want to find a way to eat with people normally.

I will control the anxiety and anger.

I will beat this.

Simple sounds don’t bug most people,

To others they can affect everything.

 

All Pictures by Jasmine Pham